New Mobile Home Siding Guide

Installing new mobile home siding instantly updates the look of your home, increases its value, and can increase your home’s energy efficiency. It’s a smart improvement project for older and newer manufactured homes.

In this article, we will cover the most popular mobile home siding materials, provide advantages and disadvantages of each material, and help you determine the best siding option for your home. We will also provide installation help and advice on hiring the best siding installers.

There are several mobile home siding options to choose from such as stone, wood, cedar, metal, and vinyl. Your choices are endless!

Benefits of New Mobile Home Siding

The main benefits of installing new siding to your manufactured home are increased energy efficiency, better curb-appeal, and protection against the elements as well as critters known and unknown.

New siding is a high ROI improvement so you can be sure that what you spend can be largely recouped when you sell.

New Mobile Home Siding Helps Reduce Heating and Cooling Costs

The most important benefit of new home siding is increased energy efficiency. By upgrading your old siding you can reduce energy costs.

Siding adds to the R-value of a home, meaning it helps hold the interior at a constant temperature for a longer time. This keeps your heating and cooling units from working overtime. By boxing the home in with additional insulation or foam board and then installing new siding you can substantially increase your home’s energy efficiency. You will need to account for added weight if you do this but it’s a great choice for mobile homes that are permanently installed and won’t be moved again (as is the case with 90% of manufactured homes).

Additional blocking of the foundation may be needed to account for the added weight if you go with fiber cement siding, brick, or real wood but it’s a smart choice and can save you lots of money on heating and cooling costs.

New Siding Creates a Barrier from Noise, Wind, and Animals

Another benefit of new siding is protection from noise. Noisy neighbors can be bothersome but new siding, when coupled with new insulation, can drastically reduce noise levels in your home.

An additional barrier from critters such as snakes, opossums, mice, and other small pests is another added benefit of new mobile home siding.

Cracks and holes will be repaired during the installation process and the added layer of material will make your home a harder target to penetrate. Better siding may also help prevent moisture growth of mold, dust mites, and bacteria when installing with proper ventilation.

Increased Curb Appeal

Last but not least is the increased curb appeal that new siding gives a home. There’s no other home improvement project that will so drastically change the look of a home. You can make your home look completely different with new siding and shed years of age off in one project.

New Siding has a High Return on Investment

New siding can give you a high return on investment. Siding replacement has landed in the top 10 investments for homeowners for several years in a row. Vinyl and foam-backed vinyl are the most popular siding materials and they see an average ROI of 72%.

New Siding, New Insulation

When you install new siding on your mobile home, regardless of your choice of material, you will need to take advantage of the situation and install new insulation. Keep that additional cost in mind.

Fortunately, it’s much easier to install insulation while the siding is off. The two most popular insulation choices are the fiberglass rolls or spraying foam between your studs like the image below.

Spraying insulation between the studs while the siding is removed.

Popular Mobile Home Siding Choices

Decide which siding material suits your budget and needs best will be a hard decision. There’s a lot to consider when choosing a new mobile home siding. Below is an exhaustive list of all the most popular mobile home siding materials and what you need to know about each: the pros and cons, price, installation tips, and weight.

Cheryl Kay installed new vinyl siding and windows on her double wide and loves the results.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is the most popular choice for mobile homes and site-built homes for a reason: it’s longlasting, affordable and looks great on all homes.

Unfortunately, the vinyl siding on manufactured homes is often the cheapest and thinnest brands on the market. Even worse, some of the vinyl is recycled vinyl made with junk materials that warp and fades quickly.

Pros and Cons of Vinyl Siding

There are pros and cons to vinyl siding as with any product. While it easy to install it isn’t watertight. Water has been known to seep into the cracks and destroy the wood and insulation underneath. To remedy this you should install a waterproof membrane under the siding. Vinyl siding can withstand winds of up to 110 mp when properly installed so it’s a sound choice for all wind zones.

Distortions, melting and warping can occur, especially in high heat. There’s not much to do for that, maybe adding awnings and reduce reflective rays from pools and windows may help.

The 5 most popular profiles of vinyl siding.

Price of Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding: Try to fix the siding before replacing it if possible. Try to only fix the panels that are needed. However, if you have to replace some or all of the vinyl siding you will be looking at roughly $1.20 per sqft. Any price within 30 cents of this is fairly decent.

There are two main types of vinyl siding: insulated and non-insulated. Insulated costs more, of course.

Non-insulated vinyl siding usually comes in 12′ foot long panels that are 8-12″ high. Mobile Home Parts Store sells vinyl siding in cases with 22 pieces that are 9″ height x 12’1″ in length for $236.00. Each case covers 200 square feet. Keep in mind that buying bulky or extra long products like vinyl siding from an online source will have a steep shipping cost. Here are the specs from the listing:

Resists dents, hail damage, scratches and fading

Impervious to wood boring insects, fungus and mildew

Never needs painting

Deep embossed wood grain surface

A secure positive locking system

The vinyl siding at Mobile Home Parts Store

The color combinations are vast and vinyl lasts for a very long time. It’s color retention and fading issues are getting better with new technology, Georgia Pacific vinyl has a 25-year excessive fade warranty and a 50-year product warranty.

Vinyl siding manufacturers offer up to 350 different colors so you can certainly find the color you want.

Wood for Mobile Home Siding

Wood and natural cedar can be a good choice for manufactured home siding as long as you understand the problems homeowners face with all wood products: rot, water damage, and high maintenance. wood is beautiful but it requires a lot of attention.

Faux cedar siding on a new manufactured home.

T1-11

T1-11 is available in two grades – OSB which is the cheaper grade is made from many smaller pieces of wood glued and formed into the grooved sheets. OSB T1-11 is rough and not easily stained or painted.

Plywood is a more expensive grade wood sheeting made from larger wood pieces that are glued and formed into the grooved sheets. It is smoother and the preferred choice for mobile home siding because it is easier to sand and seal with paint or stain.

T1-11 panels are versatile and can be used vertically or horizontally but vertical installation is the smartest choice to minimize water damage.

Pros and Cons of T1-11 Siding

T1-11 is not as popular as it once was since better waterproof material can be found around the same price.

Disadvantages of T1-11 are the same as with any wood: rot, water damage, insects, and high maintenance. Fortunately, you can seal the wood with a quality paint or stain to reduce water damage and insect infestation.

Price of T1-11

T1-11 comes in 4′ × 8′ foot sheets of plywood siding. You can get it from Lowe’s or Home Depot for around $30- $40 per sheet.

Tips for Installing T1-11 on a Mobile Home

As stated above, you should install T1-11 on the vertical to allow water to slide off it.

Cedar Siding

We’ve shared a few mobile and manufactured homes with cedar siding. It’s a great way to add texture and uniqueness to a manufactured home.

Cedar siding is available in shake (small wedge planks), log cabin cut, lap, bevel, tongue and groove, and regular board and batten as well as a few specialty shapes. Wood siding is the same, minus the plank. Cedar is known for its natural insect repulsion as well as its decay and moisture resistance.

Cedar is known for its natural insect repulsion as well as its decay and moisture resistance.

Pros and Cons of Cedar Siding

Cedar offers a timeless complement to any architectural style from traditional to contemporary. Eastern and Western Red Cedar are used for siding, but there’s also Yellow cedar which is used for poles and posts mostly.

There’s a choice of a kiln, or oven dried, or air dried. Oven dried costs more because it removes the most moisture which in turn allows for less shrinking and shifting.

You can also choose a factory finished or non-finished. Non-finished wood has to be protected or painted every 10-15 years. Most wouldn’t dare paint cedar, though, because it’s naturally beautiful!

Oil-based water sealant is the preferred method of protection. Wood should be painted regularly.

Reclaimed cedar siding on a double wide.

The Weight of Cedar Siding

The weight of kiln dried cedar is a bit lower than fiber siding at an average of 292 pounds per 100 feet. This could cause an issue if the home needs to be relocated. Vapor barriers are necessary so factor that into your cost, too. The cellular structure of cedar is great for heat retention and cold resistance.

Installation Tips for Cedar Siding

Installation depends on the type of cut. Cedar planks are very labor intensive whereas plain wooden levels aren’t as difficult. You cannot use common nails or screws. Only galvanized, stainless steel or aluminum can be used to keep rust stains from appearing on the wood.

Faux Stone Siding

Stone siding is beautiful and has some nice benefits. Stone adds dimension and gives a home the look of permanency even if it isn’t. It resists rot, insect, fire, and water.

Faux stone siding can be a bit expensive so most homeowners use stone as an accent. Adding stone to the foundation like the home below or accenting entryways and windows are great ways to use stone.

Manufactured stone or cultured stone veneers are sometimes called an architectural stone, too. They are made out of Portland cement and oxide coloring then formed within a mold in a factory. Since they are mass produced they cost less than real stone and come in various shapes, sizes, corner pieces, and trim pieces.

Installation of Faux Stone Siding

Installation is easy due to the decreased weight and panel system used. They come in various shapes and sizes as well as trim and corner pieces. Manufactured stone has a great energy efficiency factor. They do have warranties that can be as high as 50 years.

Manufactured stone has a great energy efficiency factor. They do have warranties that can be as high as 50 years.

Faux Stone Panels

Faux stone is made of polyurethane or a polymer and combined with chemicals like fire retardants and UV inhibitors.

Higher cost faux panels even use real stone that has been smashed into very small pieces to give the appearance a more natural look. It’s very light at about 100 pounds per 100 feet.

Energy efficiency is not as good as real stone but still decent compared to other siding options. They should have at least a 25-year warranty.

Fiber Cement Siding

Fiber cement siding comes in various sized boards and thickness and is available in numerous styles. It can even mimic the look of just about any other siding on the market like vinyl and cedar shake. It’s rot and insect resistant and can even withstand ocean side conditions.

Although higher in cost than vinyl, fiber cement is still an economical alternative to wood siding. It is made of silica, cement, wood fiber, water, and other ingredients giving it outstanding durability. Since it is close to 90% silica (sand) it is fire resistant and can withstand very, very high heat.

Usually, fiber cement siding has a 50-year warranty with the ‘baked on’ finish warranty having a 10-15 year warranty against fade and color reduction.

One of the major cons for manufactured homeowners is the weight. Fiber cement board weighs close to 300 pounds per 100 square feet so that may be an issue if you ever need to move the home.

The two most common types of fiber cement siding are Hardiplank, made by James Hardie Corporation and Weatherboards, made by CertainTeed Corporation.

Installation is more expensive than vinyl, and you will have to paint it eventually (remember, the finish is usually only warranted for 10-15 years). You could go with horizontal or vertical installation or you could go with both to add some extra visual appeal.

Aluminum Siding

Aluminum siding has been used for decades in mobile and manufactured homes.

It’s lightweight and practically indestructible because it’s fire-proof and insect-proof. It can’t melt but it can dent and scratch.

The energy efficiency and installation are comparable to vinyl siding. If this is what your home already has and you’re wanting to update it, painting it may be an option for you.

Spray painting metal siding on a mobile home.

Price of Aluminum Siding

The cheapest aluminum siding is 44-gauge and around 0.4”thick but you can go thicker for a more durable siding at 53-gauge or with 0.53” thick. naturally, thicker aluminum is more expensive but it has better insulating factors and noise reduction.

3×8 sheet of aluminum siding from Home Depot will cost about $80.

Updating Your Mobile Home’s Siding

New siding is the best way to give a mobile home a complete facelift. It can improve the insulation abilities of a home and increase the value significantly.

Mobile Home Siding Tips for Flat Roofs

Installing new mobile home siding can be a bit more complicated if you live in a mobile home that has a flat roof. If that is the case, you will probably have to extend your roof line or devise a way to prevent water from getting behind the new siding.

There are a few different options you can consider to get your new siding to play well with a flat roof. The first is a gutter system that would wrap around your home and divert the water away from your home.

Hiring Mobile Home Siding Installers

Always have a written agreement, not just a verbal one. Material lists should be detailed and accurate.

Don’t be scared to call past customers to check references! A true professional will actually encourage it. Request their license number and insurance information – if you’re going to pay for a professional you should get a professional.

Consider the Weight of New Siding

Weight is an important consideration for manufactured homes simply due to the way they are built. It doesn’t mean your home is inferior or poorly constructed – it simply means that it was designed so precisely that it can travel down a highway at 55 mph and still be as structurally sound as any site-built home.

If there is a chance that your home will be moved after the new siding has been installed the weight of the material will need to be considered carefully and additional reinforcement may be needed. Even if your home will never be moved again it is still important to understand that the home was built in such a way that additional weight could cause structural issues down the road so keeping the weight of the materials in mind is smart.

Summary

Replacing your mobile home’s siding is a great home improvement project. New siding instantly updates the look of the home as well as increasing your home’s energy efficiency.

Mobile homes have near unlimited choices for new siding and new materials are being introduced into the market all the time.

Cost is a huge factor in deciding which material is right for you but you also need to consider lifespan, weight, and installation methods. While one material may cost less it may take longer to install or need a special installation method thus costing more in the long run.

If you have any questions about mobile home siding please feel free to ask them in the comments below. We’ll do our best to get you pointed in the right direction.

About The Author

Hello! I'm Crystal and I created Mobile Home Living® in 2011. I've proudly lived in manufactured housing most of my life and help repair and remodel mobile homes with my husband, a master plumber and general contractor.I hope Mobile Home Living is an inspiring and informative resource for you. Please consider letting me feature your remodels, DIY projects, and makeovers. There aren't enough resources for mobile home owners online and I want to change that! Thank you!

45 Comments

Eric on September 13, 2018 at 7:57 am

I have a 900 sq ft 1988 Clayton manufactured home and I just built a 600 sq ft addition. I’m looking at siding the whole thing with Nichiboard fiber cement siding but I’m concerned about the weight on the manufactured home section. The metal girds on the block pillars under the house are set 3 feet from the edge of the walls on all sides with tapered metal extensions along every 3rd joist narrowing down to a lip under the walls. Is that really enough to support fiber cement? Thanks for all the info on your site!

I’m not too familiar with fiber cement but I’m told that it is possible with proper framing and/or reinforcement. What proper framing/reinforcement means is the question since there are so many variables at play: installation setup, size, ceiling, and framing, etc.

I would contact a dealer and see what they have to say. Sorry, I can’t be any help.

I have just moved into an older (1970) mobile home. It has aluminum siding and skirting. Having always lived in a “stick built” house for over 70 years this is all new to me. I know that dirt should not be above the foundation on a wooden frame home, what is the rule of thumb with aluminum siding? I enjoy gardening so I want to get rid of all the rock surrounding my mobile home. In order for the planting beds to be level or close to level with the sidewalks I would need to have the dirt extend about 4″ above the bottom of the skirting. What, if any, issues could that cause?

It’s best to remove the framing around the windows so you can seal the windows properly with the new siding intact. While each job is different, installing new siding is a great time to update your jams, caulking and weatherproofing.

I am looking to reside my doublewide with the vinyl insulated siding. I’m just having trouble finding someone that can do the job at a reasonable price with possible payment plan. Do you know how I can find the right person to talk with?

I don’t know anyone in your area but maybe another reader can help out. In WV, I think I saw a commercial for Window World about getting windows and siding on payments. I’m not sure if they are a national company though. Sorry!

I need to remove 2 windows that the previous owner tiled over on the inside and left open on the outside of my mobile home. I realize there is much involved in removing, bracing, insulating and water proofing. My question – can the siding be pieced together to cover the now empty space or should the entire length of siding be replaced? The area is approx 2ft W x 6ft L on the back of the mobile home which is exposed to all elements.

It is a very smart idea to get those close up. If nothing else, caulk all the seams of the window and then patch the hole with insulation and then sheathing and something to use as siding (making sure it’s all sealed well). You may want to add a gutter above the windows so water doesn’t travel down the side of the home. This will at lower the possibility of leaks.

I just had to evict someone. They sold their home and misled the new owner by telling him he could leave it in our park and sublet it. Both against our rules. I am trying to figure out a way to save this new owner some money, a young man, with a family who planned on renting it out. I am thinking of asking him to put new siding on the home and if he can I will let him forego the cost of moving and just leave the home here and sell it to someone who will stay here. I need a ball park price to mention to him. Just a ballpark price on vinyl. It is a single wide and I think 60 feet long. Flat roof:( It may cost more to put on siding. I just do not have a clue. Can the new vinyl siding be put over the old metal siding? Ballpark price of the cheapest vinyl and installation.

Siding is one of those things that are dependent on a lot of variables: location, type, and whether the old siding has to be removed are just three. You should be able to get a couple of appraisals for free from local companies.

Is it common for Redman to put cheap T1-11 siding on and not paint it under the trim? Our is 24 years old and now all the bottom underneath the trim is rotten. Redman is well known for quality homes. I cant believe they did this. We are trying to figure out how to deal with the section of bottom that is rotted now.

Redman is the brand my father bought in 1986 and we had a ton of problems through the years. The siding and trim were our biggest issues. We had leaks on roofing, windows, doors, etc. Dad bought a model without any exterior sheathing under the siding for some reason – it was just vinyl siding attached to frame and insulation (I didn’t even see plastic sheathing on the ends). So, I’m gonna say it probably was very common – they seemed to cut corners a lot.

I am in the process of planning a residing project on my 1999 Doublewide here in WV. Last year when changing some of the existing siding I learned that the home is sided in vinyl with nothing between it and the interior walls but Insulation and some green Styrofoam about an 1/8 inch thick. Nothing structural on the exterior walls at all (I was wondering why my heating bill was so high in the winter). My plan for next year is to replace all of the original siding but before I do, I want to sheath and wrap the exterior to better seal it from the elements then reside with new Vinyl. Is there anything I need to be aware of before hand as far as preventing moisture buildup inside? Are my choice in materials wise ones?

You actually have a better siding situation than most, as a lot of standard homes (with no upgrades) don’t even have the styrofoam. It’s just vinyl siding attached straight to the studs with some insulation in between. Your home was likely a bit more expensive than the basic model.

To be honest, your question is over my head. I do know that moisture is going to be an issue for you (ceiling and siding modifications typically always incur moisture issues) but the remedy is going to depend on the products you use. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!

We are in the process of residing our 1999 double wide, using a cement board plank. The house was originally sided with vinyl that has a black coated fiber board under it. Once we put up the window and corner trim, there are then no studs to nail the end of the plank to. The stud can be 8-10″ away. We cannot afford to put wood sheathing up and then the siding. How have others handled this?

I’m not very knowledgeable about this topic so I’m going to email a friend of mine that does siding and window installation and see what he recommends. I have seen companies just attach a new stud to the old (like a king stud but with no structural integrity) to extend the surface area for attaching sheet rock and such but I’m not sure that is the proper method for siding installation.

I live in Arizona and see a lot of stucco sided mfg homes. I’m about to move into a double wide and in the subdivision it is located in, there are two that have been stucco’d. I’ve read there is such a thing as stucco siding for mfg homes. Either having one stucco’d or getting the siding I’d like to have more information on – especially some costs. I’ve not been able to find such in Google searches. Do you have a resource for this?

Unfortunately, I’m from WV and know very little about how mobile homes are done in the West. I do know that stucco is used often as a siding but I do not know the intricacies of it. I’ll add the topic to my list of to-write posts.

My Prefab 32 by 24 classroom just got moved to the land was a contractor auction on several of them. It is going to be my retirement cabin, with Log siding and stone skirting. Log is to be on inside walls as well. A porch added, etc. Its gona take some time and money to get her done but A good investment for what the $340.00. plus $2800.00 moving and set up i cant go wrong. i think it will blend right in here in the SC mountains.

I can not find any info on where to purchase faux stone siding for a mobile home nor can I find info on how to install it. Do you have any sources for this? I live in Alabama and carpenter bee’s are hard on us here therefore i can not go with any kind of wood. I wanted a log look but now am persuaded that stone look is best. Thank you! Love the site.

Hi Crystal, thank you so much for this article. Early this year we bought a 3-bedroom 1985 Schultz Mobile Home and we are searching for ideas on the siding. And I find your article helpful. We are considering the log cabin look as well, but we would be using a faux log, I think. And like you said, we would love to shop locally or within the state to hopefully cut the shipping cost. I even told my husband about using maybe some corrugated metal roof as siding, but I am not sure how that would go. We are definitely going to do some research before we decide on what to use for the siding. The Hardie Plank sounds good to though. Thanks again!

Eastern Hemlock, might be the most under used really cool siding. Look at the barns that have stood for 100+ years, that’s likely hemlock as the siding. Hemlock will perform very well, except it cannot touch the ground. Keeping the hemlock a foot off the ground should be no problem for mobile homes. You can get it at the Local Amish sawmills.

Thank you so much for the info Norm! I’m not very informed of the different types of wood so that’s great information to have. Appreciate you taking the time to let us know and if you have any more tips or tricks please share them! Thank you!!

Hi,it not that simple n replacing siding on a older single wide.most have no or little overhang.to do vinyl right requires 7/16 osb,housewrap,and the vinyl siding.if u have no overhang,this pushes your exterior out,thus water runnin behind your siding .you must add overhang before adding vinyl with no overhang.

I’m not sure where you come up with the idea that fiber-cement siding is more expensive than vinyl. My home improvement company does dozens of siding jobs per year, and we install Hardie and LP Smartside for much less than the cost homeowners have been quoted for vinyl. We don’t work a lot on mobile homes, but the Hardie or Smartside Panels would seem to be a better choice than lap siding, due to lower weight and fewer seams.

Most premium construction products have a tendency to fluctuate wildly depending on the time of year here in my neck of the woods but vinyl usually always runs only a few cents per foot. I’ve heard that vinyl is pretty expensive in some parts of the country though, I guess it all depends on where you’re at and how much you buy – my husbands company does buy vinyl and metal roofing in bulk but we can’t do that with lumber and cement products cause we simply don’t have enough dry storage so we end up paying more than we should have to.

I’ll try to look it up through our supplier when I get a chance and see what we’re paying for them. Thanks!

I agree Michael I just look into vinyl cost of siding I have 16 by 80 mobile home priced between 6000 to 7000 on vinyl cement board to do all around the home is about 2000 big difference plus the extra weather protection I need here in Minnesota

A home with the log cabin look is gorgeous! There’s several options for you – you can use real wood, vinyl, and even cement shaped in the log wood – they have flat backs with the log curve on the front, adding special corner pieces adds the extra touch to resemble a true log cabin. That’s probably the cheapest option and it looks great. There’s lots of dealers online and you can also order from your local home improvement store.

Another option is your local sawmill (if real wood is preferred), that would probably cut down on costs a bit because there’s no shipping. You could also contact your local contractor and ask them about their log siding resource – they’ve probably tracked down the cheapest place for your area.

Log siding is beautiful – I hope you find exactly what you are looking for!

Hi Marie! I would love to see (and share) your home! It sounds like you have gotten a real gem and are living in exactly the type of home I dream of. If you ever want to have your home featured on MMHL please contact me. My email is [email protected]. Thanks so much for commenting!

do you have any pictures of kids room remodels in mobile homes..it would be perfect if i could find some pics of those as well as ones with storage solutions…i have a 3 bedroom single wide and i was looking for a way to make the two rooms roomier for my boys but in a cute way…thanks

Thank you very much Mr. Parker for your comment and your link! I appreciate it very much. Mobile Homes can be updated so easily with new siding and it can change the whole look. The only downfall is cost but it's an investment well worth it.

I agree that vinyl siding last long and budget friendly. Different designs of vinyl are coming in the market for vinyl siding designing. If anyone like the look of wooden siding then i suggest to use cedar siding…installing vinyl siding